A new report from savings website, Voucher Codes, predicts consumers are set to spend more during this year’s World Cup football tournament than any other national tournament before - hitting a grand total of £3.8bn across hospitality and retail sectors.
Within this figure is a predicted £2.9bn spend in stores over the 39 days of the event, with 26.4m people expected to make a purchase for at least one of the many games.
Later match times and tighter budgets will encourage consumers to watch the tournament from home, treating themselves to half-time snacks and watch party essentials.
For stores, food and drink will perhaps unsurprisingly be the categories where spend is highest, at a projected figure of just over £1.95bn. Voucher Codes’ report also predicts decorations will score highly with a £53m spend forecasted. Items such as barbecues and electrical foods will also see a sales spike, it added.
When coupled with the extra 10 days of football than the previous World Cup, retail sales are expected to exceed the £1.6bn spent during the 2022 Qatar World Cup and the £2.1bn for the 2024 Men’s Euros - an uplift of 81% and 46% respectively.
Moji Oshisanya, chief commercial officer at Voucher Codes, said: “It’s been a tough start to the year for the retail industry, but the record breaking spending figures from our 2026 World Cup Spending Report are a sign things are starting to look up.
“While consumers will still be cautious about their finances, the World Cup brings the perfect excuse for a celebration - and it’s retailers who are set to see the lion’s share of the spend.
“With fans opting for budget-friendly watch parties at home, the tournament presents an ideal opportunity for retailers to give their sales a boost.”
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